SUHUM CONTINUATION & WRD SUNYANI WEST 2019

CONTINUATION OF SUHUM PILOT PROJECT & WORLD RABIES DAY 2019

 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PROJECT TITLE:

RIWA GH Continuation of Suhum Pilot Project and World Rabies Day 2019

PROJECT GOAL:

One Health Approach to demonstrate the effectiveness of Responsible Pet Ownership and Rabies Control in Ghana

PROJECT OBJECTIVES:

S/N

ACTION PACKAGE

ACTIVITIES

SUB-ACTIVITIES

 

1

 

Sensitization and Education on Responsible Pet Ownership & Rabies

Advocacy for Stakeholders in Suhum Municipality

Meetings and Durbars in Suhum Municipality

Public Awareness Creation

Creation, printing and distribution of Banners, Posters, Flyers for public awareness/education and the upcoming Free vaccinations and importance of responsible pet ownership…schools, health facilities, churches, public places

 

2.

Suhum Pilot Project Rabies Vaccination

Free Rabies Mass Vaccination in Suhum and Sub-districts

Creation of a Radio ad to be aired 1 week prior to commencement of vaccinations. Ad to highlight responsible pet ownership and rabies free vaccination venues – August 18

Secure 4,000 Vaccines and Supplies for the exercise

Pre-Vaccination training of Vaccinators -August 25

Free Vaccinations in entire District

August 26-30, 2019

 

Wrap up meeting with all Vaccinators and Stakeholders

August 30

 

3.

WORLD RABIES DAY Official Launch

Advocacy, Meetings

Stakeholders’ Meeting to sensitize the traditional rulers and other participating parties

September 15

Agree on WRD Launch Program – Venue etc.

Design, Printing and distribution of educational materials for distribution to schools, Health facilities, churches and all public places

September 15

Secure 2,000 Vaccines for WRD Vaccination

WRD Publicity

Local Radio ads announcing the WRD launch

Nationwide Media Campaign / Sensitization on Rabies and Dog Welfare

Official launch of WRD with Durbar & Presentations Saturday September 28

WRD Free Rabies Vaccination and Public Owner Education on Animal Welfare

 

PROJECT EXPECTED OUTPUT

  1. Functioning traditional community mobilization and community outreach system in place
  2. Educational materials on awareness on rabies and repsonible pet ownership produced and distributed to schools and health facilities
  3. Vaccinate Six Thousand (6,000) pets in project catchment areas
  4. Dogs rabies antibody titer immunity levels evaluated
  5. All professionals; human and animal health educated on the a common dog bite management protocol and animal welfare on a whole
  6. Reporting forms developed, produced and distributed to all medical and veterinary facilities

INTRODUCTION

Our launch of our pilot project in Suhum has now completed two (2) years and we are starting to see results in the number of dog bites diminishing.

2019 will mark our third year and we will expand the coverage of the program to cover the entire district…the Suhum Municipality and all the sub-districts.

In 2018 we moved the free vaccination period from WRD week to late August early September. The children are still on school vacation and have the time to bring all their pets to our vaccination venues.

We will continue with this exercise in 2019 and will have heavy media promotion announcing the vaccination dates and expanded venues.

The 2019 Suhum program will involve:

  1. Provision of 4,000 rabies vaccines and consumables
  2. Stakeholders meetings (2)
  3. Solicitation of additional support and sponsorship in cash and in kind
  4. Promotional materials designed, printed and distributed…Announcement Banners, Vaccination Venue banners, Animal Welfare/Rabies Educational Flyers & Posters
  5. Media Exposure through radio ads giving both educational information and the venues for the free vaccinations.
  6. Mobile announcement van giving details of the program, dates, times and venues commencing 3 days prior and ongoing daily till end of the program
  7. Enlisting the services of veterinary students from KNUST to assist in the vaccinations as the area has now been expanded.
  8. Pre vaccination meeting with all vaccinators
  9. Free vaccinations at approximately 25 venues across the District
  10. Documentation of the entire exercise
  11. Post vaccination meeting with all vaccinators

WORLD RABIES DAY 2019

Last year RIWA GH launched WRD in a new district and region…Ketu North District, Volta Region. This was done to expand the awareness of rabies and to educate the public, specifically children, about this deadly disease and initiate a vaccination program in the district.

Likewise in 2019, it is our intention to launch WRD in another district and region, this time in the north of Ghana…the Sunyani West District, Brong Ahafo Region.

RIWA Ghana has sent a proposal to the District Chief Executive and the Regional and District Veterinarians, and all have accepted our invitation to launch in their city.

As in previous years, RIWAGH will embark on a major media campaign, not just for awareness of WRD in the Sunyani West District, but in all of Ghana.

This will be done through the following:

  1. National TV live on-air interviews…GTV, TV3, UTV and TV Africa
  2. National Radio live on-air interviews…TV3 Radio, GBC-Unique FM, Joy FM
  3. Press releases in the national newspapers…The Graphic, The Chronicle, Business & Financial Times
  4. Social Media exposure…Facebook, Twitter.

WRD LAUNCH

The launch of WRD will be on Saturday September 28, 2019 in the forecourt of the Sunyani West District Assembly, Odumase. The DCE has agreed to support our efforts with the venue, sound system and canopies and chairs.

As in past launches RIWAGH will coordinate and implement the following:

  1. Stakeholders meetings in Sunyani West…one with the DCE and the Municipal Assembly and government agencies and the second with the Traditional rulers and district influencers
  2. Design, Print and Distribute official launch banners throughout the District and at the venue
  3. Design, Print and Distribute educational flyers “What is Rabies, Responsible Pet Ownership and the 5 Keys posters to all the schools in the District (22,500 students), Health facilities and major public places. Involve the Department of Education to ensure importance of responsible pet ownership is on the school curriculum as this includes good pet health through vaccinations which includes rabies.
  4. Coordinate with the local major radio station for:
  • 4 radio ads daily for 5 days prior to WRD and during the following week of vaccinations.
  • Live on-air interview to discuss rabies
  1. Mobile announcement van travelling throughout the District announcing the official launch and the free vaccinations
  2. Coordinate a Children’s Rabies Awareness & Responsible Pet Ownership March throughout the city on the morning of WRD ending at the launch venue
  3. The official launch and durbar
  4. Provision of 2,000 vaccines and reporting forms

It must also be noted that all vaccinators will require water and lunches daily and on WRD all children in the rabies awareness march must receive water & refreshments and refreshments must be served to all attending the official launch at its conclusion.

The official launch will also be the beginning of the vaccination program which will be carried out by the Regional and District Veterinarians and their staff, monitored by RIWAGH.

The event will be captured both with video and pictures to include in a program summary at the conclusion of the exercise.

 

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